4 ways running has helped with my mental fitness

Thursday 23 Nov, 2017

Since injury back in 2005, running quickly became a constant in my life. I knew that leaving a highly active and responsible job in the Military would leave a void, if I didn't act, that void could've easily been overrun with negativity.

The simple act of putting one foot in front of the other helped me in more ways than I initially thought possible. I've listed a few points what have benefitted from running, what all involve mental health.

Health

Sound body, sound mind as the saying go's. Its very true. It can be quite tough to muster up the motivation to get out the front door and start running, but it quickly became apparent that I would always regret that missed workout, but would never regret getting out there.

As my body became more accustomed to running and my breathing got easier, my confidence grew and my attitude for the day was on a high. Once you can convince yourself to get out the front door, thats something to be proud of, regardless of how far or fast you ran. That pride is invaluable to motivation.

Stress

Every part of life has the potential to build stress, it happens to us all. Too much stress and worry can snowball into even more stress and worry and all manner of negativity. Running, as with many other sports can be a great reliever of stress. I particularly find that running works because there's no rules to abide by. You can run when you want, how you want, fast or slow, solo or in a group. The choice is yours, every run is a step in the right direction.

Finance

Sports and hobbies can get expensive, and as one of life burdens, money is something we need to keep an eye on. Luckily with running, all you need is a pair of trainers. There's a competitive market out there, all wanting to provide us with a great product at affordable prices. Its worth having a shop around, see whats on offer. Just don't make the same mistake I did with my first pair of trainers and get them too small! Feet like to swell!

Life Experience

Running opened up the world to me, literally. After my confidence and experience grew, friends I had made through the sport had recommended running in new places. After a little research, I discovered races being held all over the world. I was encouraged to try out and take part in these overseas marathons, to which I did and haven't looked back since. The joy of running has guided my travelling towards places I would never have seen, to people I would never have met, to experiences I would never have had.

I never thought something so simple, would have had such a massive effect on my life. Running really is like life, its yours to do with however you want, only that the benefits of running are easier to achieve.